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legs

Side Lying Hip Raise

From a side plank on your forearm, you lower your hip to the floor and lift it back up. Works the sides of your stomach and the outer hip.

intermediatemat

Side Lying Hip Raise, start position
START
Side Lying Hip Raise, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Find a flat spot.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Lie on your left side with your left forearm on the floor, elbow under your shoulder.
  2. Stack your feet and straighten your legs.
  3. Lift your hips off the floor so your body is a straight line from head to feet.

Check: Your elbow is under your shoulder, your body is a straight line, and your hips are off the floor.

Lower the hip

  1. Lower your bottom hip slowly toward the floor without resting on it.

Check: Your hip is just above the floor and your shoulder has stayed stacked over your elbow.

Lift back up

  1. Lift your hips back up until your body is a straight line again.
  2. Squeeze the side of your waist for a second at the top.

Check: Your body is a straight line again and your hips are not sagging back.

That is one rep. Do all the reps on one side, then switch.

Breathe in as you lower; breathe out as you lift.

MUSCLES WORKED
Side Lying Hip Raise: muscles worked, front view
Side Lying Hip Raise: muscles worked, back view

glutescoreabductors

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Hips sagging back behind the body. Takes the work off the side of the waist. Fix: Push the hips forward so your body is one straight line.
  • Resting the hip on the floor between reps. Fix: Stop just above the floor.
  • Elbow not under the shoulder. Fix: Line the elbow up directly under the shoulder.
SAFETY1
  • Bend your knees and rest on the bottom knee to make it easier.
RELATED EXERCISES

easier: plank

variants: plank, side lying leg raise

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